That's quite fair, Chandavki. "Modern". I know that Red Egg is doing a $56 Prix-Fixe but I will check back to see if that is mandatory, I think the hipper, funkier space at Red Egg will make that one guest forget about her duck requirements. (Yes, I checked. No duck).

Sad but true about the big hall spots. But I am hoping that someone here will have had a recent positive experience at an old-school-style place that won't freak out TGIF fans.THANKS

I am in a quandary that only a NYC foodie would encounter. Although I am not of Asian heritage I usually acknowledge the Lunar New Year in Chinatown. I worked a block from there for most of my career so I am really spoiled in terms of options and have not been able to eat what I like to call “Plexiglas Chinese Food” for many years now. I love the little hidden places in the neighborhood where all you can really do is point and hope you get something tasty.

BUT I need to decide on a place where I can take a group of about 10 budget minded people for dim sum brunch (so no $50-100 feast thankyouverymuch) who are at varying levels of food appreciation. While I think that having the dim sum the carts adds fun to the process, some of the cart places that I know may seem to dingy and grimy to a few people.

I introduced them to Dim Sum GoGo last year and it was a big hit. Clean and bright without any feet or fins sticking up from the dishes. Not the cheapest, or the most authentic though. The staff was friendly and accommodating and I know the group would be fine with returning there. But like many of you, I’m a food proselytizer. I feel like I need to bring them a little closer to the real experience.

I was considering Golden Unicorn. They do have the carts and the place is done up in bright colors. So I figured that would add to the festive atmosphere of the brunch. They also have duck on the main menu, which was an ingredient in a favorite dim sum cited by one of last year’s participants.(Only Dim Sum GoGo seems to have duck dim sum!)

What do you foodies think? Get off my high dragon and just give the people what they want and take them back to the same place that they already know? Or let them try something new and even cheaper this year even though I know there will be chicken feet in the room & half the group will get lost finding the place?

If you have other Chinatown suggestions I’d also love to hear them. I will do reconnaissance tomorrow and Saturday on any place I don’t already know from a recent experience. THANKS

Agreed, Monica. Otto is a very adult place. Bustling and loud with an extensive and ecletic Italian wine list. That 11 year old may likely wonder why the ADULTS can't handle themselves in a restaurant. ;) If you have not been there the idea of pizza may sound juvenile, But here it is a bonafide course. They have a great selction of artisan ingredients of most of the pizzas.

But the Must-Have item there is the olive oil gelato dessert. I dreamt about it for 3 nights after having it. It is that good. It will also further stimulate this young man's culinary imagination. I think Otto presents the perfect combination of low key with high standards. Bonus: You'll be on 8th St. in the Village where are the cool hip teens are hanging out!

Also consider a different place that has an open kitchen where he can watch the action live!

I have been asked to coordinate and "After-Party" for my H.S. reunion group. We all went to a school for the arts so it's a pretty outgoing fun-loving group. But they ARE in their 40's so a typical club probably won't go over well.

We'll be arriving after dinner on a Saturday night - around 8 or 9 pm, so the quality of the food is not as important as the amount of space (@30 people) and the ability to mix & mingle and talk animatedly.

I was thinking that midtown east or the Diamond District would be great because most establishments rely on the businesses in the area for their big crowds. So Saturday = no big crowds, right??

I figure there must be some spaces that are dying for an infusion of bodies and won't charge an arm and a leg for the privilege. A minimum bill of is fine. But charging each person to get in is not.To get an idea of what I have thought of so far, I have put in a call to The Public House near Grand Central I know they have at least one moderate-sized back room.

I only have a couple of weeks so I really need the help of my fellow foodies. I know this is not really a food question, but I imagine that many of you have attended events in these types of places so I hope you can help. THANK YOU!

Hecho in Dumbo was bad news. I walked in during after 9 on a slow week night to grab a quick bite at the bar and check out the food I'd heard so much about. There were only 3 other people at the other end the bar. The bartender spent his time texting on his phone, day dreaming and walking down to chat with (not serve) that group. He looked up at me a few times, and I tried to get his attention, but he saw no reason to come down to me except for the fact that I was near the service area. Regardless, he would not acknowledge that I was there. I finally left, telling the hostess that apparently it was my server's night off.

There are too many places to eat on that strip of lower Manhattan to give your money to a restaurant that isn't interested in taking it.

The Mermaid Inn isn't exactly in the locations that you mentioned but it is not far and has a good oyster happy hour every evening from when they open til 7. Get ther early to get a good spot at the bar. There are drink specials and dollar oysters that are very tasty and fresh. I enjoyed the one on 2nd Avenue near 5th St. Great service. The bar at the Greenwich Village location on MacDougal St. seemed a little more cramped. I didn't even stick around to see if it would thin out.

Please do NOT go to Banjara. It is amazingly over priced wiht very bad very slow service and mediocre food. I needed a dipstick to measure the amount of grease soaked into my eggplant. Who ever heard of bland Vindaloo? And I never had a dried-out over-cooked Poori bread before going there this weekend. I can't believe the bill came out to $80 for 2 people! Why? Because there are rugs on the wall instead of Christmas lights? I'll just bring my shades and my own bottle (lousy wine selection) to one of the other 6th St spots and at least not feel ripped off.

Gone that long? Wow. That shows you how much I got out of my way to avoid Times Square. Although I admittedly have a couple of exceptions, one of which would fill the frite bill if I was I the mood to have a sit down meal – not just a pick-up and go as I am seeking here.

It is called BXL Café, at 124 W. 43rd just west of 6th Ave.http://bxlcafe.pregraphic.com/It is quaint, funky, very European, and just a little hip. Diverse clientele, friendly staff, and one of the only places I’ve ever heard so many people speaking such much Belgian.Highly recommended. But, shhh. It’s small.

I searched high and low on this board trying to get a tip on where to go to grab some pommes frites on the way home. To my amazement there seems to be almost no mention of any place other than Pommes Frites on 2nd Ave. But 2nd Avenue is way out of my way.

Isn't there any other casual place that makes good Belgian-style fries with fixins in NYC? Gotta be! Right? I thought I remembered passing one in Times Square (*shudder*, but at least it's on the way home).

Unfortunately New St. Clair is the closest to my desk. I can't get over how they managed to get chicken soup wrong. But I was OK with the expensive burger on a particularly hungry day.

I just discovered a very useful service called Seamlessweb, so I can order food froma little further than I might otherwise be willing to walk. But they only have a handful of restaurants from around here. Hopefully they will expand.

I used them the other day to order fish tacos from Pita Grill. I am not recommending that dish. It was aklso moe than I wanted ot spend - (delivery minimums and all that ). But trial and error is expected here.

After years of having regular access to Little Italy, Chinatown and Tribeca, I am now in downtown Brooklyn on Hoyt/Smith Street and State Street. From what I have been able to tell this is a vast wasteland when it comes to good food at low prices. I am accustomed to stepping out of my door and having a plethora of interesting and good choices that will let me walk away satisfied for less than $9 including tax and tip. Actually, I was spoile - I used to eating lunch for $6.50 nearly every day. $9 was a splurge. It almost made no sense to bring in my own. Let’s not even talk about the 5 dumplings for $1 across the park from my building.

When I came here to Brooklyn and said there was nothing to eat, I was told I was nuts – there are tons of places to eat. And they are all excellent. They beat anything I could find in lower Manhattan! When I asked for specifics I was only given locations that would require me to take a long lunch break due to the time it takes to travel to that destination. I should not have to take a bus or train to eat a quick, good, inexpensive lunch.

So, here I am with all the fast food and fried chickpeas I could ever want, overpriced mediocre grub and not even a decent neighborhood after-work watering hole. HELP! I’m going into foodie withdrawal. Please guide me. Thanks.

Probably too late for you, but in case someone else is reading this for an answer, I agree with the Artisanal suggestion. They are having a fondue festival this month with a different cheese every day!